Build

This section offers concrete tools your institution can use to select safer and nontoxic materials for building exhibits.

The materials and suppliers listed here are based on our own research and information, or that of our colleagues. The list is neither comprehensive nor an endorsement of the specific products; some of these products are new and have not been fully tested while others have been used by only one museum. What worked well for one museum may perform poorly for another museum with different criteria.

Since using materials from local sources is a hallmark of green building, we highly recommend talking to sustainability experts in your own community to find materials that are unique to your region, help support your local economy, and don't require significant transport. Contact the regional distributors of the national suppliers we have listed here for more information. There are also local chapters of the US Green Building Council www.usgbc.org. in almost every state, who can help you find someone in your community to help you get started. In many cases we have listed national suppliers who have regional distributors wherever possible. It will be necessary to go through the main distributor to find someone who carries the product locally.

Build

Design, in this larger sense, is not simply the making of things but rather a striving for wholeness. At its best, ecological design is the ultimate manifestation of love--a gift of life, harmony, and beauty to our children.- David Orr